Buying Diamonds
Diamonds...
Not only nature's strongest
substance but also the most beautiful. Read on for everything
you need to know to find the perfect one for you.
The 4 Cs are the secret to understanding a diamond's
quality and characteristics. When choosing you should
consider its cut, colour, clarity and carat and we'll look at the
significance of each of these areas in turn.
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Cut
The shape you may choose is entirely personal; choices
include Round, Princess, Pear, Emerald, Marquise and Royal Asscher
to name but a few. Brilliant cut diamonds are the perennial
engagement ring classic. Pear-shaped stones have an elegant
outline and tend to look a little larger or, if your preference is
for a contemporary style, Royal Asscher cut or Princess cut stones
may be for you. The choice is yours.
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The most important aspect of a diamond's beauty is
revealed in the perfection of its cut or what in the trade is
referred to as 'make'. The perfection of the polish,
proportions and symmetry (e.g. alignment of the facets) maximises
the performance of light entering the stone from the
top. This light is then bounced from facet to facet and is
reflected back through the top of the stone in a rainbow
blaze. If a diamond is cut to the wrong proportions, e.g. too
deep or too shallow, light is reflected at the wrong angle,
allowing it to 'leak', diminishing brilliance and fire. Well
cut diamonds look significantly larger than poorly cut stones of
the same size because more light is reflected back to the
eye. This can increase the value by up to fifty per
cent. Our diamond experts carefully examine all diamonds,
selecting only those which offer the best combinations of beauty
and value.
Colour
Colour is generally
considered to be the second most important characteristic which
determines a diamond's value. With white diamonds, what is
referred to as colour is actually the lack of colour and is
measured on a scale starting with D (colourless and the most
expensive), through to Z (having a very noticeable yellow
hue). Diamonds are graded by inspection in controlled
lighting conditions (e.g. natural daylight or lamps that replicate
its wavelength) and with comparison to pre-graded master
stones.
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Hettich can offer a selection covering most colour ranges from D
to K for the purest grades. D, E and F offer no noticeable
colour. However, grades G, H and I offer stones that
look white to the eye, but with inspection reveal little or no
noticeable colour. These grades are often the most purchased
as they offer an excellent balance between beauty and value.
Natural fancy colour diamonds have recently become very popular
and are available in every shade in nature. We are pleased to
have some exquisite examples in our collection, particularly fancy
yellow diamonds which look stunning.
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Clarity A diamond's clarity refers to its
optical purity. Put simply, it is a measure of the number and
size of the tiny inclusions or surface marks that occur in almost
all diamonds that can be seen under 10x magnification.
According to many experts, clarity has the least impact on a
diamond's appearance. We offer diamonds generally in the
range of Flawless (no inclusions) to SI (small inclusions).
Stones in the range of FL/IF (Flawless/Internally Flawless) command
the highest prices. VVS1 - VVS2 (very very small inclusions) are at
the next price level and offer exceptional quality at a slightly
lower price. Stones in the range of VS1-SI2 (very small -
small inclusions) can offer great value as generally the inclusions
do not impact upon the stone's beauty.
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Carat
This is the term that people are probably most familiar with and is
a measure of weight not size: one carat is equivalent to a
fifth of a gram. The term carat is believed to come from the
ancient way of trading diamonds, when traders' scales were
balanced by carob seeds which were amazingly consistent in weight.
Choosing the weight is again a personal consideration
depending upon budget available, and should be considered in
relation to the cut grade as poorly cut stones may often have a
diameter larger or smaller than well cut stones. |
The Fifth
C
We would like to add a
fifth 'C': confidence. It's easy to regard diamonds as a
commodity but, as we have discussed, their great worth comes from
beauty. We cannot stress enough that whilst all of the above
factors can be measured and are important, it takes years of
training and experience to understand diamonds. We are
qualified diamond graders and our experience ensures that we
only hold carefully chosen stones. The best way to select
your perfect diamond can only come from viewing it
personally. We strongly advise avoiding purchasing diamonds
online as many of the stones offered have characteristics that
appear to be graded well but which would not pass the Hettich
quality threshold. Finding your perfect diamond is very
important, as is finding the right jeweller to purchase from.
You can rely on us to only supply you with an outstanding
stone.
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Ethical
Sourcing
All diamonds sourced by Hettich are conflict
free. Only buying our diamonds from suppliers who fully
subscribe to the Kimberley process ensures every diamond can be
traced back to a source that is confirmed as not being involved in
funding conflict. Furthermore, we also have a partnership
with the Royal Asscher Stars of Africa project, the proceeds of
which go to improving infrastructure and creating funding for
healthcare, education and self-sufficiency programmes in
Africa.
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Bespoke
Design
We can help you to find
your perfect stone, and we can then offer you a completely bespoke
service, allowing us to create the jewellery of your
dreams.
Service
Your diamond should be
looked after and kept clean to allow it to sparkle at its brilliant
best and ensure the stone is secure. We encourage our
customers who have purchased their diamond from us to take
advantage of a free clean and regular inspection of the
setting. (Polishing, if required, will be
chargeable)
Please call us to
discuss any of your diamond requirements. We love these
wonderful gems and are here to help.
For further in-depth technical information please
refer to the website of the Gemological Institute of America
at www.gia.edu
